Working in Austria After Graduation: 12 Months to Find a Job

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Austria gives non-EU graduates of its own universities a specific route to stay and work. First you extend your student permit once to look for a job. When you have a job offer at your level, you switch to the Red-White-Red Card for graduates. This guide follows the pages of the Austrian government and the migration portal, consulted in October 2026. Rules on salary and fees change, so confirm them with your residence authority before you apply.

Who this is for

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a permit to work in Austria, so this guide is for students from other countries who hold the student residence permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student). How to get that permit is explained in the student visa guide for Austria.

Step 1: the 12-month job-search extension

The migration portal says third-country graduates may renew the student permit once, for twelve months, to look for work or start a business. The law behind it is section 64 of the Settlement and Residence Act (NAG). The government page on the graduate card adds that this applies if the general requirements still hold, and the migration portal names sufficient means of subsistence and health insurance as examples. For health insurance during this period, see health insurance for students in Austria.

Apply for the extension before your current permit expires. Official pages did not confirm how many hours you may work during the job-search year, so ask the residence authority before you take a job.

Step 2: the Red-White-Red Card for graduates

If you receive a job offer matching your qualification within the twelve months, you can apply for the card without a labour market test and without a points system. The conditions on the government page are:

you completed a diploma, bachelor's, master's or doctoral programme at an Austrian university, a Fachhochschule or an accredited private university. For a diploma programme, the Austrian part must include at least the second study section
you have a fixed job with pay at least equal to the locally customary salary for comparable work and experience. The migration portal describes it as the locally customary gross minimum salary that comparable Austrian junior graduates receive
the general residence requirements apply, except proof of suitable housing and sufficient funds
the Public Employment Service (AMS) checks the degree and whether the salary is adequate, and then the residence authority decides

The card allows residence and work for the named employer. Self-employment is allowed only if it is subordinate to your employment as an employee.

How to apply

Where: usually as a change-of-purpose application, in person, at the residence authority responsible for your Austrian address. Your employer can also file it. Some authorities require an appointment, so read the local website first.
When: at least eight weeks before the job starts. The authority must decide within eight weeks. File before your student permit expires so that your stay stays continuous.
Documents: valid travel document, a passport photo (45 x 35 mm, not older than six months), your study record and exam certificates or the degree certificate, and the employer declaration under the Foreign Employment Act (AuslBG). More documents may be requested. Foreign documents may need certified translation and possibly an apostille, while English documents generally need no translation.
Fee: €218 for the application, according to the government page (updated 7 August 2026).

After the card

The card is usually issued for up to two years. Holders can switch to the Red-White-Red Card plus, which gives unlimited access to the labour market, if they were employed under the eligibility criteria for at least 21 of the preceding 24 months. When you change employer, you can start the new job provisionally 45 days after you file the application, provided your documents are complete. The page also says that student time counts for half toward the qualifying period for EU long-term residence, if you applied on time.

A practical plan

About six months before graduation, check the expiry date of your permit and book the first appointment.
Gather proof of funds and health insurance for the extension, and ask the authority what else it wants.
Apply for the extension before the permit expires.
Search in your field. A job below your qualification or below the usual salary will not support the graduate card.
When you have an offer, ask the employer to prepare the AuslBG declaration and file at least eight weeks ahead.

Your degree must come from an institution that counts. Our catalogue lists 776 programmes at 77 institutions in Austria, and you can browse them here. Costs during the studies are in how much it costs to study in Austria.

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.